PROJECT CODE: 000327

IMPACT OF DIVORCE ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ORHIONWON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AREA OF EDO STATE

BY

Morrison Omokiniovo Jessa (Snr)

Statistical Analyst/Research Consultant
M.Ed-Measurement and Evaluation (Delta State University, Abraka) In-View
Online Training in Statistical Analysis (Lund Ltd, Derby, England)
Certificate in Statistical Analysis (Tobejay Technologies, Benin City, Edo State,
Nigeria)
B.Ed-Guidance and Counselling (Delta State University, Abraka)

2016
PROJECT CODE: 000327

TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER PAGE……….…………………………………………..……….…i
TITLE PAGE…………..…………………………………………………....ii
CERTIFICATION…………………..………………………………….…..iii
DEDICATION…………………………….……………………..…………iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…..…….………………………………………....v
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………….………………………….……….vi
Abstract…………………………….………………...……………….……vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study ................................................................................ 1
Statement of the Problem ................................................................................ 6
Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................... 7
Research Questions ......................................................................................... 8
Research Hypotheses ...................................................................................... 8
Significance of the Study ................................................................................ 9
Scope/Delimitation of the Study ................................................................... 10
Operational Definition of Terms ................................................................... 10
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Meaning of Divorce ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Meaning of Academic Performance ............. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Impact of Divorce on the Academic Performance of StudentsError! Bookmark
not defined.
Impact of Divorce on the Academic Performance Based on Gender .... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Impact of Divorce on the Academic Performance Based on Location . Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Impact of Divorce on the Academic Performance Based on School TypeError!
Bookmark not defined.
Summary of Related Literature..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES
Research Design ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
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Population of the Study ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

Sample and Sampling Techniques ................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Research Instrument ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Validity of the Instrument ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Reliability of the Instrument ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Method of Data Collection............................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Method of Data Analysis .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF
RESULT
Analysis of Research Questions.................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Test of Hypotheses ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Discussion of Finding ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Conclusion .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Recommendations ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Suggestion for Further Studies...................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
REFERENCES.............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
APPENDIX ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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ABSTRACT
This study seeks to examine the impact of divorce on students’ academic
performance in Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo State. In order to achieve
the objectives of the study, four research questions and four hypotheses were
formulated. 100 students were sampled from ten secondary schools in Orhionwon
Local Government Area of Edo State, they were given questionnaire to fill and their
result was collected from their various schools. The research questions were
analysed using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using
both Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and Independent Sample t-Test. The
results revealed that there is no significant relationship between divorce and
academic performance of students and that there is no statistically significant
difference in the impact of divorce on the academic performance of male and female
students. It was also revealed that there is no significant difference in the impact of
divorce on students’ academic performance of students from urban and rural schools
and that there is no significant difference in the impact of divorce on the academic
performance of students from mixed and regular schools. Based on the findings, the
researcher recommended among others that there is need for personal social, group
counselling and individual counselling in schools where students with challenged
homes are counselled. And students should develop positive self-concept in life to
assist them in their academic achievement.

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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The family is the child’s first place of contact with the world. The child as a

result, acquires initial education and socialization from parents and other significant

persons in the family. Agulana (2010) pointed out that the family lays the

psychological, moral, and spiritual foundation in the overall development of the

child. Structurally, family/homes is either broken or intact. A broken home in this

context is one that is not structurally intact, as a result of divorce, separation, death

of one of parent and illegitimacy. Divorce is a legal termination of valid marriage.

According to Frazer (2004), psychological home conditions arise mainly from

divorce and parental deprivation. According to him, such abnormal conditions of the

home, are likely to have a detrimental effect on school performance of the child.

Life, in a divorced or broken home can be stressful for both the child and the

parent. Such families are faced with challenges of inadequate financial resources

(Children Defence Fund, 2004). Schults (2006) noted that if children from unstable

homes are to be compared with those from stable homes, it would be seen that the

former have more social, academic and emotional problems. Rochlkepartain (2013)

is of the opinion that the family and its structure play a great role in children’s

academic performance. Levin (2011) states that parents are probably the actor with
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the clearest interest in a high level of their children’s academic performance. To

some extent, there is simple evidence to show the marital instability brings about

stress, tension, lack of motivation and frustration obviously, these manifestations act

negatively on a child’s academic performance.

According to Fraser (2013) performance and behaviour of children living with

a single parent is below that of children living with the two parents. He observed

that children who lives with a parent especially a divorced one, usually feels

unsecured, always attention seeking and anxious that his/her education may be

seriously hindered or disrupted through these feelings and at the end it would affect

the child’s total behaviour.

Johnson (2005) asserts that children of separated families often fail and are at

risk emotionally. However, this may not be completely applicable in all cases of

broken homes. Some children irrespective of home background or structure may

work hard and become successful in life. Moreover, Ayodele (2007) stated that the

environment where a child finds himself/herself goes a long way in determining his

learning ability and ultimately his academic performance in school. When a child’s

needs are not properly addressed, his learning ability could be affected due to lack

of motivation. Generally, the home has been identified as an overwhelming factor

affecting students’ performance academically. It would appear, then, that broken

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homes may present a very serious danger to the emotional, personality, and mental

adjustment of the child. This impinges on students’ academic achievement.

According to Hargreaves (2011), student's resilience in a one-parent

household is believed to be a significant indication of success in other areas of their

lives, including academics. Students under emotional heartache and stress at home

often have emotions that interfere with concentration during the school day. Students

may have difficult times concentrating on school work from divorce-related stress

occurring at home. Students may face unique challenges of completing homework,

assignments, when organizing their homework, backpack, and paperwork between

multiple homes (Akambi, 2014).

According to Smith (2009), some students are flexible and adapt well to

change largely due to implementing effective coping strategies, while other students

may react in the opposite way. Students may lose confidence, blame themselves for

the break-up, and see their parent's separation or divorce in a complicated way. The

range of feelings that a student may encounter include: disbelief and denial, sadness,

loss, loneliness, depression, anger, anxiety, fear, relief, and hope. Response to these

feelings often results in different levels of intensity (Smith, 2009). While some

students may experience mild anxiety and sadness, others may feel more intense

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emotions. Smith (2009) also found that students’ reaction to their parent's divorce

varies based on the student's gender and age.

Carlson and Hines (cited in Dykeman, 2013) determined that parents can help

make a smooth transition for their children during a divorce. Parents can present a

reliable and cooperative parenting style when providing their children with

discipline and behaviour expectations. Putting the child in the middle and asking

them to "spy" on the other parent or report back information regarding dating,

finances, and life styles may hurt the student trying to cope with life in two different

residences. Students tend to be more resilient when their parents offer strategies such

as joint-parenting, similar discipline styles and not competing for child-loyalty with

gifts and presents. Hargreaves (2011) documented behavioural issues and emotional

problems exhibited by students preceding their parents' separation or divorce.

Parents may also have different expectations and rules for their child presenting

inconsistencies which may confuse the child. Research suggests that a child's

adaption to successful transition depends on each parent maintaining a healthy

relationship between one another and with the child (Hargreaves, 2011).

Wilkinson (cited in Hargreaves, 2011) reported children's stressors

throughout divorce may include disorganized daily routines, change in parenting

style, reduced family income, parental conflict, limited resources, and parental

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accessibility. Families can usually maintain and adapt to the short-term changes of

divorce in a two- to three-year span.

According to Hertherington et al. (cited in Hargreaves, 2011), students display

problems during a variety of stages of family deterioration including times during

this alteration period, either before parental separation, or directly subsequent to a

parental separation. Students will sometimes experience delayed stress responses

occurring years after a divorce in a form of post-traumatic stress (Hargreaves, 2011).

Various theories of child development suggest that children younger than age

five or six are particularly vulnerable to the effects of parental separation. The

disruption of attachment relations, combined with the child’s limited cognitive

abilities to understand divorce, is central to this vulnerability. But analysing studies

that assess students of different ages at a single point in time confounds children’s

age at the time of divorce with the amount of time elapsed since the divorce, both of

which could account for the results. Children showed greater adjustment with

increasing age (e.g., birth to age five, age six to ten, age eleven to sixteen), with the

youngest age group being the most severely affected by divorce.

A majority of school age students in Orhionwon Local Government Area

experience changes in family dynamics that show up in the school setting. Indicators

such as depression, decline in academic achievement, poor attendance, loss of

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confidence, and disorganization may signal adjustment issues pertaining to divorce

in a student's home. This study therefore aimed to examine the impact of divorce on

students’ academic performance in Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo

State.

Statement of the Problem

There is a global awareness of the Importance of the home environment on

students’ academic achievement. In Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo

State, most homes are not intact as a result of issues of incompatibility of the couples

and the quest for the oversea trips to make more money, and at times marital

infidelity. This has resulted in the separation of couples and children. In Edo State,

this is quite clear, in that most young ladies abandon their homes, and embark on

oversea trips with a view to making money. Some men who travel abroad, abandon

their homes and would not communicate with the families back-home so children

from such homes are in dilemma, especially in terms of adjustment. Chador (2008)

notes that the environment in which the students come from can greatly influence

his performance in school. The effects of divorce may impact greatly on the internal

organization of the family and by extension; effect a child’s emotion, personality

and academic achievement.

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Bearing in mind the role of the family in a child’s education, the failure of the

family to perform its duties could hinder the child’s academic achievement. Any

nation that is desirous of advancing technologically will no doubt ensure that the

future of her future leaders (the students) is well guided, protected and guaranteed.

A divorced parent faces doubled responsibilities requiring time, attention and

money of the parent. Hence, less attention is paid to the education of the child. The

teachers commonly describe children from divorced parent as more hostile,

aggressive, anxious, fearful, hyperactive and distractive than children from intact

family. Thus, this study is set out to find out the impact of divorce on students’

academic performance in Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of divorce on students’

academic performance in Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

Specifically, the study will:

i. Examine the impact of divorce on students’ academic performance

ii. Identify the impact of divorce on students’ academic performance

based on gender

iii. Determine the impact of divorce on students’ academic performance

based on location

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iv. Examine the impact of divorce on students’ academic performance

based on school type

Research Questions
The following research questions has been raised to guide the study:

i. What is the impact of divorce on students’ academic performance?

ii. What is the impact of divorce on students’ academic performance based

on gender?

iii. What is the impact of divorce on students’ academic performance based

on location?

iv. What is the impact of divorce on students’ academic performance based

on school type?

Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses has been formulated to guide the study:

i. There is no significant relationship between divorce and academic

performance of students

ii. There is no significant difference in the impact of divorce on students’

academic performance based on gender

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iii. There is no significant difference in the impact of divorce on students’

academic performance based on location

iv. There is no significant difference in the impact of divorce on students’

academic performance based on school type

Significance of the Study

The study will be very useful to the students, parents, teachers, the

government and the society.

The study will be of great benefit to the students in that it will help to educate

the children of the divorce parents about the need for them to report their problem

to other family members and social welfare officers for assistance instead of

indulging in anti-social behaviour

The study will provide parents with useful information about their children

and their role in enhancing the academic performance of the students.

The study will also provide teachers with information about the children and

the type of family they came from and ways to provide education for all the

categories of students.

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The study will also benefit the government since it would help them to know

the impact of divorce on children and service that should be provided to help these

children in solving their problems.

Finally, the study will be of immense benefit to the society especially to both

the public and private individuals who are greatly convinced about the rate of

increase in divorce in Edo State especially in Orhionwon Local Government Area

of Edo State. It would be of great help to the public to know how they can render

help to the affected children of divorce homes.

Scope/Delimitation of the Study

This study focus on the impact of divorce on the academic performance of

students. The study is limited to Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

Operational Definition of Terms

Impact: This is to have a strong and often bad effect on (something or someone).

Divorce: This is the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent

body.

Academic Performance: This is the outcome of education — the extent to which a

student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals.

Students: These are learners, or individuals who attends an educational institution.

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